What a wonderful day we had celebrating Pastor Frank's marriage to Salome, She looked beautiful in her wedding gown, and I'm sure God will bless this very happy union.
And yes, it has now been 9 years since I arrived in Tanzania. When I look at the children who were the first children to come into Light in Africa's care, and now the boys are 6' tall and doing well in school, and our girls are beautiful young ladies it makes one's heart melt and fill with joy how they have developed into such caring Tanzanian citizens. All wanting careers which will help there communities, which I think is a very special thing for them to do. The boarders have broken up from school, and for the first time, they are going to be working alongside our many volunteers as interpretors.
I am now solely based in Mirerani and only come back to headquarters at the week-end to relief Mama Coupa (Treasurer) and Gudilla (Secretary). As there is no internet over there, I have a large backlog of emails to answer once again, and it doesn't help with so many of my sent emails being returned to me. I am really having to close my hotmail account down as nothing is being sent, so please can you just use this site to correspond with me. Many thanks.
Dear Friends: love abundantly, Tomorrow's Blessings are patiently waiting for you all....... mama Lynn
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Did you read about the celebrations of this month on our weblog? Wouldn't you think that a cup of coffee would go well with some of that mouth-watering cake? Well, then how about this very special offer from Tom Thorogood and the Blanchard's Coffee Company who sells some of the finest Tanzanian coffee grown on the slopes of mount Kilimanjaro, under the shade of banana trees. And every bag sold benefits Light in Africa's work with this special promotion .
Thank you Tom and all at Blanchard's!
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Nine years and counting .....
This month we celebrated the ninth anniversary of Light in Africa. Mama Lynn has come a long way in nine years. From founding a children's home with just two girls high up on the mountain, to now providing love and care to 160 children in three towns in the Kilimanjaro area. In addition to the children's homes, ministries have expanded to elder care, medical dispensaries and a food kitchen in Mirerani. The possibilities for expansion are seemingly endless, or, otherwise said, needs continue to be identified. But we are blessed having been able to provide already for so many.
But there was more cake-cutting: a Wedding !!!!!!!!
Salome and "our" pastor Frank made it official on this special day.
Join us in sending them our blessing to say: May Your Wedding Bring You Endless Joy And Everlasting Happiness!
Congratulations on behalf of all of LíA's friends.
(more pictures on the celebrations page)
webmaster
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I highly recommend all have a look at the "Our Actions" page (click and select 'Our Actions' from the lefthand menu, then scroll down) with a short video impression featuring our baby unit: Tumaini House. Thanks to Gertjan for his video and editing efforts.
Enjoy and thank you all for your continued support allowing us to care for so many !
Paul
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From a Western perspective it's business as usual here in Tanzania this week. The events that are occurring here wouldn't shock the world or make headlines. At Light in Africa, we're accustomed to operating in a world that seems turned upside down, where values are switched around and strange paradoxes exist. At Light in Africa, we often live alongside those who are among the very last in line to have access to the building blocks of a healthy life. Here the stark reality of injustice and need is not a broadcast from a distant continent that can be tuned out. At Light in Africa people are names and faces, fellow humans that we interact with. They are not statistics.
Despite his being in ill health, we were all taken by surprise when Praise (shown above) died on Monday at the age of 10. HIV positive since birth, he was living with an aunt since his parents passed away. Before coming to Light in Africa, Praise had been starved (apparently intentionally) and beaten by his aunt. Such an incident taking place in the UK would almost certainly be followed by a week of media attention. Here, it is sadly commonplace. Mama Lynn now plans to move forward with prosecuting the aunt for child abuse and neglect. Below, I ride with Praise to KCMC hospital in Moshi.
Praise was brought to Light in Africa by the Tanzanian Social Welfare Department two weeks ago. Just barely skin and bones, he was so weak that he couldn't walk. Children have been brought to LIA in such a state before. However, they have experienced complete recovery. I was sure that with steady meals, care from the staff, and a strict anti-retroviral regimen, he could be healthy and walking within 6 months. Praise was too weak to recover from the abuse and neglect, however. After just over a week at Light in Africa, he was unable to hold down food and went into hospital, where he spoke on his deathbed of the abuse inflicted by his aunt. Praise passed away after four days.
There's a brighter future for Rebecca Makombe. She waited in line like the other 174 people that attended one of Light in Africa's monthly medical outreach dispensaries on Thursday. This one took place in the village of Kilombero, in Simanjiro District. At 15 years of age, she's walked with crooked legs the majority of her life because of the poor water quality in her village. She and her mother came to the dispensary that day to see if LIA could be of any help to her.
Indeed, there is something in the water in Simanjiro District, where Rebecca (shown above) and many others who walk with crooked legs come from. It is an overabundance of fluoride. Light in Africa currently houses four children from this district, all siblings, who have recently undergone operations to correct bone deformities. Two LIA volunteers working at the Kilombero medical dispensary (shown below) readily stepped forward, offering to pay the costs of Rebecca's treatment. She is now staying at LIA's guesthouse awaiting her operation.
The travel and tourism industry is in a slump. People aren't going on safari or climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in the numbers they normally do at this time of year. The global economic crisis seems to have left no one untouched. However, Light in Africa is currently experiencing record numbers of volunteers and helping more people in the region than ever before. Ten volunteers are now living at LIA, working on various projects throughout Kilimanjaro Region. With more than 120 more scheduled to arrive between now and mid-September, big plans are in the works ranging from health and nutritional seminars and ESL classes in remote villages, to the completion of three more children's houses at Tudor Village. No doubt many unexpected needs will arise. Volunteers who have raised funds for LIA's mission will again be able to step in and help individuals and communities alike by funding medical treatments and procedures or school tuitions. Below, a woman waits to see a doctor at LIA’s medical dispensary at Kilombero.
The ministries of Light in Africa are being blessed while the storm surges outside. We are but mere vessels who have acted on our desire to help those in need. It is the hand of God that sustains and empowers. Much of the world may not see the human face of the suffering and need that exists all over this continent. We're not surprised. For us that's just business as usual.
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Cashing travellers checks in Tanzania is 1) costly (up to 18% fees) and 2) difficult (one bank in Moshi only).
Cash machines (ATM) are available (Cirrus, Plus & Visa) in Moshi, Boma N'gombe and Arusha and much more costeffective.
You are advised to carefully read all the practical advice in the LiA Volunteer Information Pack before your departure. It will help make your volunteering experience more enjoyable.
Wishing a safe trip and a rewarding stay with LiA
Paul
LiA webmaster
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Hello dear friends,
We are just so grateful to our dear friends in America, who have
rallied around once again, and found sufficient funds for the shipment
of a container of food to enable LIA to feed the hungry children, and
the victims of the HIV/AIDS Virus and unsupported elderly in the
villages, through our Food Kitchens and out-reach programes. Words
fail to express our gratitude. Our prayers have been answered. Mungu
Akurbiriki.
It has up to now been somewhat of a difficult week.... On Sunday
morning, one of my grandfathers that we are caring for died of throat
cancer, and we conducted a lovely simple service for him on Tuesday.
On Wednesday we were out in the Manyara Region providing an out-reach
dispensary where our doctor was able to treat 165 patients. Our
wonderful volunteers were able to purchase all the drugs that wre
needed and provide the drugs to treat worms and head fungus to over
two hundred children. A very busy day, but very rewarding, we returned
exhausted.
At Fleeze House, the police brought us a child who had been very badly
beaten by his father. This child will require extensive amounts of
tender loving care for him to place his trust in an adult ever again.
On Thursday, an ambulance arrived with a very sick - very malnourished child.
He had been delibratly starved by his extended family as his parents
had already died of the HIV/AIDS virus, and they stigmatized this poor
little one to near death. We pray that this child will recover and
will be able to play and enjoy a good life in the future. I feel sure
Jake Lyell will write about this case when he provides a further link
to this site. It is extremely harrowing to witness what a mother can
do to her nephew and feel no remorse by her actions. Education is the
most important issue that needs addressing in this country, in my
opinion, if ever stigmatization is to cease.
On Saturday, I have been invited to a birthday party of one of our
little girls, who is being adopted. I have a really wonderful
photograph of Gloria and her mum which I will try to place on the blog
for all to admire.
Bless you all for your prayer support, and your love gifts to our children.
Mungu Akurberiki. mama lynn
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A picture tells a thousand words ...
Jake took some more great shots which tells about the every life stories of various LIA beneficiaries.
I know you will enjoy reading his blog at
http://jakelyell.com/blog/2009/05/05/fighting-chance/
With warm regards
Paul
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Hello dear friends,
We gratefully received some heavy rain over Easter time. This is six weeks later than normal. Instead of dry savanah, the ground is now turning green, much to the delight of the goats and cows, who are severely malnourished. In torrential rain I had to take a sick child to our local hospital. The drivers side window refused to go up and so with driving rain lashing my face we made our way to KCMC at 10 km/hour, the wipers unable to cope with such a torrent and being fearful that the flooded roads would take us into a ditch. Drenched to the skin, we made it and William was admitted with a temprature of 40%. For some reason the casualty department was quite empty, which was most unusual, so we were sorted pretty quickly. On Sunday, I was back again taking two children to hospital, one street boy who had fallen from a tree and fractured his arm, and a little tot from Pilgrim House, also with a high temprature, everything is now being blamed on the cold weather.
AND NOW FOR THE TUDOR VILLAGE NEWS
Well, at last we managed to get our girls into there new homes, but it wasn't without many problems which we had to hurriedly overcome. We call it TIA (this is Africa) The powers that be, decided two days before removal date, that our western type toilets had to be removed and replaced by 'drop' toilets..even though at our facilities the western style was the only one used by the children, our other problems have been with local workman asking them to complete the work that had been paid for three months earlier, promises - promises - promises - but the good news is that the girls from the toddlers to our older girls are all settled and very happy in there new homes. So happy in fact, that when asked to name the houses, they have chosen wonderful names - if not a little unusual, we have house No 1 named HAPPY HOUSE and house No, 2 named LAUGHTER HOUSE, house No 3 is at present being used as the school room. Can't wait for that to be named.
We thank each and everyone of you who has blessed us with funding or hard work or prayers to bring this vision of all of our children living on one site, with all the necessary amenities that a village would have, to fruition.
Abundant blessings - mama Lynn
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Yes, it has really happened and although it was being prepared for a long time, it still was eventful when the day came ....
the first children formally moved into Tudor Village and this marked the closing of Malaika House
Pictures are worth more than I can write now
Many hands helped to load up.
And off they went:
And this happy bunch knew where they were going:
As much as this is a turning chapter in the lives of our angels from Malaika House as well as Light in Africa and staff, this must also be an emotional moment for the many volunteers who helped over the years to make Malaika House the place we envisaged to be the "home" for our children. Many efforts went into painting and decorating the place while many hours were spent entertaining and caring for the young occupants.
There will be more news, later, from mama Lynn, but there is so much going on that we ask for some patience.
Thank you for your continued support and interest in the everyday stories about life at Light in Africa
Paul
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